RebelDan Posted June 1, 2021 Report Share Posted June 1, 2021 Just back from Plymouth and this is no criticism of their set up I wish them every success and will be back again this year for multiple visits but it made me realise how special the race track is/was at Somerset. Tonight hit home what a loss to the sport this club is and how lucky we were every week. I can’t pretend tonight I wasn’t gutted but it was great to see some live racing again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Stadia Posted June 2, 2021 Report Share Posted June 2, 2021 I have not been or seen the Somerset track, but does anyone who knows the area and track, think there could be a chance in the future for another promoter to restart speedway there or will the land the track is on disappear for other uses, such as industrial units etc? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest compost Posted June 2, 2021 Report Share Posted June 2, 2021 8 minutes ago, Ray Stadia said: I have not been or seen the Somerset track, but does anyone who knows the area and track, think there could be a chance in the future for another promoter to restart speedway there or will the land the track is on disappear for other uses, such as industrial units etc? Huge amount of residential building going on in the general area and more slated. IMHO no chance of anything similar to Somerset S'way being allowed in the area. And that's from Bridgwater up to and including Weston-Super-Mare. Taunton way might be the only, very remote, chance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Najjer Posted June 2, 2021 Report Share Posted June 2, 2021 5 hours ago, Ray Stadia said: I have not been or seen the Somerset track, but does anyone who knows the area and track, think there could be a chance in the future for another promoter to restart speedway there or will the land the track is on disappear for other uses, such as industrial units etc? 4 hours ago, compost said: Huge amount of residential building going on in the general area and more slated. IMHO no chance of anything similar to Somerset S'way being allowed in the area. And that's from Bridgwater up to and including Weston-Super-Mare. Taunton way might be the only, very remote, chance. What compost has said is right - there is slim to no chance of it happening. Huge parts of the surrounding area has been developed in some way or another that is linked to the new Hinckley point power station works that are ongoing and for years to come. Much more value in redevelopment for housing, hotels and industrial units in this area now than there is for a speedway track. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Stadia Posted June 2, 2021 Report Share Posted June 2, 2021 2 hours ago, Najjer said: What compost has said is right - there is slim to no chance of it happening. Huge parts of the surrounding area has been developed in some way or another that is linked to the new Hinckley point power station works that are ongoing and for years to come. Much more value in redevelopment for housing, hotels and industrial units in this area now than there is for a speedway track. I notice there is a banger/stock car track, The Mendips Raceway, Somerset. Could the track ever be used for speedway? Sometimes a joint operation with bangers and speedway do not work, Skegness as an example. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cityrebel Posted June 2, 2021 Report Share Posted June 2, 2021 44 minutes ago, Ray Stadia said: I notice there is a banger/stock car track, The Mendips Raceway, Somerset. Could the track ever be used for speedway? Sometimes a joint operation with bangers and speedway do not work, Skegness as an example. Skegness stadium is in a rural location, miles out of town. The promoters gambled on the former Boston fans to support the venture. I counted a couple of hundred people at the meeting i attended, that was for premier league racing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghosty Posted June 2, 2021 Author Report Share Posted June 2, 2021 The ONLY good thing that could possibly come from Somerset closing would be the return of the Bristol Bulldogs. Don't think it was ever going to happen with the Rebels running but I can't think of a better gamble to reintroduce speedway in the U.K. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest compost Posted June 2, 2021 Report Share Posted June 2, 2021 2 hours ago, Ray Stadia said: I notice there is a banger/stock car track, The Mendips Raceway, Somerset. Could the track ever be used for speedway? Sometimes a joint operation with bangers and speedway do not work, Skegness as an example. Isn't it comparitevly close to Bristol ? Wouldn't the lot looking at a new venue in Bristol from a couple of years back not looked at this one ? Does look awfully basic - a bit like Smeatharpe stock track near (ish) Taunton. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fromafar Posted June 3, 2021 Report Share Posted June 3, 2021 22 hours ago, compost said: Isn't it comparitevly close to Bristol ? Wouldn't the lot looking at a new venue in Bristol from a couple of years back not looked at this one ? Does look awfully basic - a bit like Smeatharpe stock track near (ish) Taunton. Don’t think there is a rush to invest your cash in Speedway these days,it’s a sure way of losing it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knowle Posted June 3, 2021 Report Share Posted June 3, 2021 The Mendip Raceway is very basic, very remote, on top of the Mendips down narrow lanes and in my opinion a non-starter. Does anyone know if the site at Avonmouth still exists in an undeveloped form? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted June 4, 2021 Report Share Posted June 4, 2021 Mendip Raceway is a tarmac track. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris116 Posted June 5, 2021 Report Share Posted June 5, 2021 15 hours ago, Rich said: Mendip Raceway is a tarmac track. While it is possible to lay shale on top of a tarmac track as has been done at Northampton, it has to be remembered that the South Western based F2 Stock Car drivers do not like shale and would not be happy to have one of their tracks changed to shale. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eric i Posted June 5, 2021 Report Share Posted June 5, 2021 Could they not put a track in the middle? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris116 Posted June 5, 2021 Report Share Posted June 5, 2021 (edited) 41 minutes ago, eric i said: Could they not put a track in the middle? I have never been to Mendips Raceway but understand that that the bends of the current track are tight and also the track is on the side of a hill. Sadly I do not think it would be possible to have a speedway track either on or inside the current track. EDIT:- I have just had a look at some photos from Mendips Raceway and maybe the bends are not too tight for an inside track but the centre green area appears to be raised which means a lot of earth moving would be needed. Edited June 5, 2021 by Chris116 More information Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eric i Posted June 5, 2021 Report Share Posted June 5, 2021 I think the cars use the track like a figure of 8 sometimes so I am not sure they would want it ripped up and speedway track put in. If the stock cars were keen to get some rent money, the main issue would be noise although it is next to a quarry and some distance from any houses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianbuck Posted June 5, 2021 Report Share Posted June 5, 2021 Some years ago, the potential promotors of Bristol did seem to be making slow and steady progress after identifying a possible site for a new track in Avonmouth, but perhaps the development at Somerset was part of the reason why this was not persued. I'm not sure how far apart Highbridge and Avonmouth are, but I'd image that speedway at Somerset relied a good deal of support from the Bristol area? Perhaps now that Somerset has sadly been lost, this might be a good time for those who were working to revive Bristol to have another go? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris116 Posted June 5, 2021 Report Share Posted June 5, 2021 8 hours ago, eric i said: I think the cars use the track like a figure of 8 sometimes so I am not sure they would want it ripped up and speedway track put in. If the stock cars were keen to get some rent money, the main issue would be noise although it is next to a quarry and some distance from any houses. The figure 8 track is only used by Bangers. The Stock Cars only use the oval track. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Najjer Posted June 21, 2021 Report Share Posted June 21, 2021 A week or so old, but a decent little report here from Doyley about Somerset https://www.speedwaygp.com/news/article/9017/doyle’s-somerset-salvation Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sotonian Posted June 21, 2021 Report Share Posted June 21, 2021 On 6/5/2021 at 1:03 PM, eric i said: I think the cars use the track like a figure of 8 sometimes so I am not sure they would want it ripped up and speedway track put in. If the stock cars were keen to get some rent money, the main issue would be noise although it is next to a quarry and some distance from any houses. Why? Have you heard the noise that stock cars make? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eric i Posted June 21, 2021 Report Share Posted June 21, 2021 3 hours ago, Sotonian said: Why? Have you heard the noise that stock cars make? Yes but do they have have any restrictions on how many times they can run a year? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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